Gwinnett County K-9 Sika finds critically missing man in the woods

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A K-9 with the Gwinnett County Police Department helped track down a critically missing man and bring him home earlier this month.

Thanks to the help of K-9 Sika, Gwinnett County police were able to locate the 60-year-old missing man just an hour after a family member called 911 on Oct. 2.

The family member told officers her loved one suffered from mental disabilities and was unable to care for himself. Officers searched the area around Breckinridge Boulevard where they eventually found the man.

"Our officers approached the male, but because he suffered from this diminished mental capacity he ran away from officers when they initially tried to make contact with him," Sgt. Collin Flynn said.

Gwinnet County K-9 Officer Sika

They then called in K-9 Sika who tracked the man deeper into the woods. That's when officers say he got scared and fell into the creek bed.

"Officers were able to jump into the creek and tie an extra dog leash around the male's waist and lift him up to safety and eventually reunite him with his family," Sgt. Flynn explained.

Gwinnet County K-9 Officer Sika and her handler, Sgt. Brandon Townley.

K-9 Sika has been with the Gwinnett County Police Department since 2022. Unlike other K-9 officers, she was trained only to track and find people, not attack or bite.

She works with Sgt. Townley full-time.

Back in April, K-9 Sika used the scent of a shoe to find a missing child with autism in a wooded area.

"The dog is less threatening to people who maybe do suffer from maybe mental handicaps that would be afraid of a dog normally. K-9 Sika is a little bit easier for those folks to deal with," Sgt Flynn explained.